Cognitive function in pediatric-onset relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease

Tracy L Fabri1, Julia O'Mahony2, Giulia Fadda3

  • 1Department of Psychology, York University, Canada.

Insights

Pediatric-onset relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) shows milder cognitive deficits than pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS). MOGAD patients had slower response times and reduced complex cognition compared to healthy controls.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies are present in 30-50% of pediatric acquired demyelinating syndromes.
  • Cognitive impacts of relapsing MOGAD in youth are not well understood.
  • Adults show a 41% higher relapse risk than children in MOGAD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare cognitive performance in pediatric-onset relapsing MOGAD, pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), and healthy controls.
  • To identify specific cognitive domains affected by pediatric MOGAD.
  • To differentiate cognitive profiles between MOGAD and POMS.

Main Methods:

  • Administered the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (PCNB) to 12 relapsing MOGAD, 68 POMS, and 108 healthy control participants.
  • Assessed accuracy in Executive Function, Episodic Memory, Complex Cognition, and Social Cognition.
  • Analyzed overall response time and global performance using multiple linear regression, controlling for age and sex.

Main Results:

  • Relapsing MOGAD patients showed reduced accuracy in Complex Cognition and slower overall response times versus controls.
  • MOGAD participants performed better in Executive Function and overall battery scores compared to POMS.
  • POMS group had significantly lower overall PCNB scores than controls, while MOGAD did not differ significantly.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric-onset relapsing MOGAD is associated with milder cognitive impairments than POMS.
  • MOGAD patients exhibit slower processing speed and deficits in complex cognition.
  • Cognitive deficits in MOGAD are less pervasive than in POMS, suggesting distinct neurological impacts.
Abstract